With his fierce Irish nationalism,
Thomas F. Meagher managed to get himself into difficulties on both sides of the Atlantic.
Born in County Waterford, Ireland, he opposed British rule and was exiled to Tasmania in
1849. He fled to the United States in 1852, eventually settling in New York, where he was
active in the Irish independence movement.
Raising an Irish Zouave company in 1861, he
joined the Union army, where his assignments included: major, 69th New York Militia (ca.
April 20, 1861); brigadier general, USV (February 3, 1862); commanding 2nd
("Irish") Brigade, Sumner's Division (November 25, 1861-March 13, 1862); and
commanding 2nd ("Irish") Brigade, lst Division, 2nd Corps, Army of the Potomac
(March 13-June 28, June 29-July 16, August 8-September 17, September 18-December 20, 1862,
and February 18-May 8, 1863).
He served as a field officer at lst Bull Run
before being mustered out with his militia regiment on August 3, 1861. That winter he
organized the Irish Brigade which was assigned to Sumner's Division. Early the following
year his commission as a brigadier came through. He led the Irishmen in the fighting at
Seven Pines and during most of the Seven Days. At Antietam he was injured in the fall of
his wounded horse but was able to return to duty the following day. At Fredericksburg his
command was slaughtered in the assaults on Marye's Heights. Meanwhile he had become
embroiled in army politics.
Himself a Democrat, he was highly critical of
political-read "Republican"-generals. This may have contributed to the later
refusal by the authorities to grant him permission to recruit for his own ranks. After the
battle of Chancellorsville he resigned on May 14, 1863, in protest over this refusal and
the proposal that the regiments of his brigade be distributed among other commands. His
resignation was rejected on December 23, 1863, and he returned to duty, holding minor
commands in the Western theater. He finally resigned on May 15, 1865.
After serving over a year as acting governor of
Montana he fell off a boat on the Missouri River and drowned. He had been drinking.
(Conyngham, David Powers, The Irisb Brigade and ItsCampaigns and
Cavanagh, Michael, Memoirs of GeneralThomas Francis Meagher)
Source: "Who Was Who In The Civil War" by Stewart Sifakis